Showing posts with label Interior Design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interior Design. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Chinese Interior Design Essentials

Globalization in the 21st century has made it possible for us to become open to fresh and unique concepts in decorating and designing our homes. One of the design themes we have learned to admire is Chinese interior design.

When we look at Oriental homes, we admire them for their opulent and exotic beauty. At first glance, the setup seems easy to reconstruct, but in reality, very few people have a deep understanding of the basics of Chinese interior design.

Dating back thousands of years, Chinese interior design is founded on the principles of energy, simplicity, and nature. They strive to achieve surroundings characterized by tranquility and peace, and since Chinese culture is steeped in tradition, the elements in Chinese interior design should also reflect the values of the people living in the home.


Chinese Interior Design Fundamentals

One of the most basic principles to be observed in Chinese interior design is simplicity. For them, a room should not be filled with all sorts of common decor. What is important is the proper placement of a few valuable and beautiful objects in a room to achieve optimal effects.

By using just a few focal points, the rooms remain light, roomy, and simple, yet still reflective of the owner's impeccable taste.

Another element commonly used in Chinese interior design is the use of screens. These items are both decorative and functional - they not only enliven a room but also serve to keep one's privacy.

Many years ago, these frames were constructed with light materials, making use of latticework serving as a grid for the sheer fabric or paper. Today, the screens can be made of various materials such as bamboo or expensive wood decorated with delicate ivory inlay.

A dressing screen may also have foldable panels to make it fit in various areas of the home. It's a very inexpensive way to add a touch of Asia to your simple but stylish Chinese interior design. The great thing about screens is that depending on the design, they can also be used for other interior design themes.

What Is Feng Shui?

Most Chinese interior design principles are based on Feng Shui, or the ancient tradition of arrangement of space to create a harmonious environment. It is a spiritual discipline based on guidelines that, upon examination, are actually compatible with the traditional architectural techniques used today.

When Feng Shui is implemented in Chinese interior design, it is believed that the residents will fully benefit from the meticulously arranged furniture and living spaces in terms of wealth, love, health, and happiness.

Due to its increasing popularity, homeowners will now find it easy to locate a Feng Shui expert with whom they can consult prior to tackling a Chinese interior design

project. They can also look for hundreds of resources on the Internet to help them organize their space and determine which arrangements would be best to attract positive "chi" or energy.

Making Use of Chinese Interior Design Details

You may opt for a total Chinese interior design look or choose a differently themed design using only a sprinkling of Chinese influences. One way to achieve this is by using a handful of valuable, perhaps ornate pieces, to serve as accents in a sparsely furnished room.

You can also make use of the screens which can easily be moved depending on its intended function in a particular area. It is also a wonderful idea to make use of a few pieces of Chinese decor which could serve as conversation pieces or for adding a splash of color to an otherwise staid room. Chinese pottery or colorful paintings can add an exotic look, and so could richly colored carpets or pillows.

Going for Chinese interior design when decorating a room could be very challenging. However, it can also be very rewarding when you finally see all the elements come together harmoniously in a room you can call your very own.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Color Inspiration : Indigo and Wheat

I am in love with the work of photogapher Ditte Isager... indigo blues and wheat inspired neutrals ... dreamy and soothing, luxurious and rich...




More Color Inspiration:

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Bunny Williams: Chic at Work

Living in New York affords the wonderful opportunity to attend so many lovely events and last night was no exception.  Bunny Williams opened up her beautiful and spacious office to a group of editors and bloggers for cocktails and a sneak peek at some of her upcoming endeavors.  Her BeeLine Home Collection II will debut this fall at High Point and her new book Scrapbook for Living will be released in November.  I'm most excited that she will also be debuting a new website that will feature online shopping and a bridal registry, as well as recipes and entertaining advice.  We all told Bunny that her next book has to be about entertaining!  She is one of the most gracious and effortlessly chic women I have ever met.  I also love her tag line "always classic, never predictable."

What I love most about Bunny and her husband and antique dealer, John Rosselli, above is that they are always off on some adventure.  They had recently traveled to Honduras where some of Bunny's furniture is made and it sounded like quite a trip!  I also told John that he needs to write a book.  Well, begged might be more accurate.  He made a few remarks at the event and said "the best way to stay young is to surround yourself with young people" but I also think that the older generation has so much to offer the younger generation.  I will never tire of his wonderful stories of the chic and stylish women that we all admire but whom he knew personally.  Last night, he told of how Françoise de la Renta told him that she was bringing a friend by to see him and it turned out to be Babe Paley.  She ended up buying an ivory palm tree for Truman, as in Truman Capote.  She also bought lots of blue and white porcelain and said to John, "you can never be too rich or too thin or have too much blue and white."  So fabulous!

The other star of the evening was Bunny's office. I've seen some gorgeous offices but I don't think I've seen any that were so spacious.  It was so nice to be able to stand back and really see everything.  The best parts were her many books and her office which we'll get to in a minute. 

This is the seating area in the reception area and I'm going to have to ask if that is a textile or blanket covering the sofa because it was just to die for gorgeous.

This book on the coffee table looked very intriguing.

The space also is a great showcase for Bunny's BeeLine Home Collection including the Marquetry Cube Drinks Table and a chair that was the original inspiration for a new model that will be a part of the second collection this fall. 
Not sure if you can tell in this photo but the screen is upholstered in green fabric and trimmed in nailheads.  It's a very chic way to hide the rest of the office from the reception area for a party.

There is a little bar behind the door to the office with an abstract collage above that was very chic.  You'll notice that a lot of the pieces have tags and are all for sale. 

There were quite a few beautiful old casepieces throughout the office and this one had wonderful gilt details and old mirrors.

A detail of just some of Bunny's wonderful book collection.

The best part about the office is that it looks and feels like you are in a home. 

A leather chair makes a perfect companion to Bunny's Bottoms-Up Drinks Table.  I actually used this in one of my projects.  It's the perfect size for New York apartments!

Here you can see the stripe detail on the floor that mirrors the beams in the ceiling. It's an interesting space in that it looks both modern and old.

The center entry table was laden with goodies.

Bunny is a master at the tablescape!

The bird containers are called the Parish Cachepot and are based on a cachepot that belonged to Sister Parish.  They feature a removable liner and are part of the BeeLine Home Collection.

A view into the sample room.

This is a sample room that most designers dream about at night!

While my fabric samples are shoved into L.L.Bean Boat and Tote bags, Bunny's are neatly arranged on shelves.  Sigh.

I wish I had peeked into the armoire to see what was hiding in there.

There were some beautiful vintage watercolor interiors in this room that are also for sale. 

Pens and paper at the ready next to the phone.
 
A view into Bunny's office.  I am glad to see that she has a comfortable desk chair.  Antique chairs are pretty but not very comfortable for sitting for long periods.
 
The gilt and wood pilasters elevate a simple wall of bookshelves into something spectacular.

More books and auction catalogs which are a great resource guide even if you aren't bidding.

I absolutely loved the dog portrait!

Bunny is fearless when it comes to mixing different periods and styles of furniture and art as you can see here.

I could spend all day checking out Bunny's books.

Most design offices keep their purchase orders in binders from Staples but not Bunny.  Her client projects are kept in these chic red leather binders.  I am making a mental note of this for future reference.
 
Gorgeous gardening books.

I keep my pens in a silver mint julep cup but Bunny keeps hers in a vintage gold painted porcelain cachepot.  Now that is chic!

The mirror and console give the wall on the other side of Bunny's office the feeling of there being a fireplace on that wall.
 
Of course, there were many bunnies in Bunny's office. This one was especially cute! 

I want to thank Bunny for her gracious hospitality last evening.  It was so nice to see so many familiar faces and to meet some lovely new people.  I always say that these types of events are like a modern day salon where you can talk about design and other topics and always learn something new.  I also want to thank Bunny for allowing me to photograph her office and share it with you.  I found it endlessly inspiring, just like Bunny Williams.

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Bold Vision : Daniella ~ Dress, Design and Decor

Daniella is the Bold Vision behind Dress, Design & Decor. As a designer, Daniella believes that style and design go hand in hand. She combines the two beautifully in her inspiring posts. Whether you are into fashion,
or Home Interiors, there is always a treat waiting for you at Dress, Design & Decor.
Daniella loves everything Parisian, her laptop, Paris Vogue and a Starbucks latte.
She has a fun series on her blog called "Why Don't You?" One of my favorites from this series is Why don't you... dress as a modern-day Audrey and window shop at your favourite store?
[<span class=
Thank you Daniella for sharing your Bold Vision with us!